Day Twenty – Tuesday, January 28, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

Matthew 20

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

Parable of the Laborers

Mark 10:31 (Parallel)

1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. ² Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, ⁴ and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. ⁵ Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ ⁷ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’⁸ “So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ ⁹ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. ¹⁰ But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. ¹¹ And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, ¹² saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ ¹³ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? ¹⁴ Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. ¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ ¹⁶ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 20:1–16.

Points to Ponder:

• This parable is a lesson in submission and contentment.
• Jesus tells of a landowner who had fields that needed laborers. Maybe it was planting time, or maybe it was harvesting time, but he went to the market and found day laborers looking for work.
• He found some in the morning, and some at various different times during the day, even up until about 5:00 pm. He promised each of them the appropriate wage, which would have customarily been a denarius, the day’s wage coin.
• At the end of the day, at about 6:00 pm, He called all the laborers together and began to pay them, beginning with the last ones. They received a denarius. But then God paid each of them a denarius, including those who worked all day in the hot sun.
• Those who worked all day began to complain against the landowner that the pay was not fair. He asked them, “Did I pay you what I promised?” They could not deny the truth.
  The landowner had the right to pay whatever he pleased.
• Jesus then uttered the famous phrases, “the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”
• This is a parable that discusses grace. The last workers hired received the same reward as the first, and were paid first because of the grace of the landowner. The first workers got what they deserved, but would not rejoice with the late comers in the grace they received. If the first workers were the disciples, and the new Christians were the latter, then the disciples must rejoice with the new. If the first workers were the Jews, and the Gentiles were the later ones, the Jews would not rejoice with the Gentiles. They missed it. Don’t claim seniority because you came first. Rejoice with the last to be saved as well.

Instruction About Jesus’ Death

Mark 10:32–34; Luke 18:31–34 (Parallel)

¹⁷ Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, ¹⁸ “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, ¹⁹ and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 20:17–19.

Points to Ponder:

• Jesus paused after the parable to remind the disciples of His destiny.
• He would be betrayed and killed by the actions of the religious leaders.
• But He also leaves them with hope: “the third day He will rise again.”
• God, give us hope even when things look bleak and untenable!

Instruction About Ambition

Mark 10:35–45 (Parallel)

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.²¹ And He said to her, “What do you wish?”She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”²² But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”They said to Him, “We are able.”²³ So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”²⁴ And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. ²⁵ But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. ²⁷ And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 20:20–28.

Points to Ponder:

• Zebedee’s wife, the mother of James and John, requested that Jesus allow her boys to sit at His right and left in His kingdom. She hoped for a position of prominence for her boys.
• Jesus asked them if they were ready to suffer what He would suffer. They said, “Yes.” However, they did not know how bad it would get. Jesus told them they would drink of the same cup He did, but that it was not proper for Him to place them in the positions of prominence they requested.
• The other disciples were offended at the very request they made to be elevated above the rest.
• Jesus reminded them all that unrighteousness rulers lord their authority over their subjects, but that the kingdom of heaven was meant to be full of servants, not full of masters.
• Jesus summed up the thought by encouraging those with aspirations to first be servants, just like Jesus.

The Blind Men Recognize the King

Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43 (Parallel)

²⁹ Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. ³⁰ And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”³¹ Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”³² So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”³³ They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” ³⁴ So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 20:29–34.

Points to Ponder:

• They came out of Jericho followed by a multitude.
• Two blind men sat by the road, begging Jesus for mercy, for they heard that He was passing by. Although the crowd rebuked them, they still cried out.
• Jesus called for them and asked what they wanted from Him. They asked to receive their sight.
• Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes, and they could see.
• The story ends with the simple phrase, “and they followed Him.”
• Jesus made a difference in so many lives. He can make a difference for you today as well.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page.